| Australia:
An island that is isolated from other lands, inhabited by
the exotic Great Barrier Reef, crystal clear water, golden
beaches, wide open spaces, flora and fauna, basalt plains
studded with extinct volcanoes, rugged wilderness, scenic
mountain ranges, extensive coastlines, surrounding tropical
islands, vast rivers, and the oldest rainforest in the world
and considered by many to be the most adventurous place
on Earth.
New
South Wales: The inhabitants of New South Wales
are never far from adventure for the main focus of outdoor
sports here is the Great Dividing Range, which runs parallel
and close to the densely populated eastern seaboard for
the entire length of the state. Many parts of the Great
Dividing Range are rugged enough to have escaped the clearing
that occurred as European settlers spread westward from
the coast, and today patches of magnificent virgin forest
still cloak peaks and escarpments and fill valleys. Although
eucalypt forests predominate, alpine heaths cover high peaks
in the south, and scattered pockets of subtropical rainforest
become more common as you travel northward. The Great Dividing
Range offers almost unlimited challenges for adventures,
including cliffs for rock climbers, vast tracks of bushland
for walkers, and scenic fire trails and rugged back roads
for mountain bikers. The highest peaks and plateaus of the
Snowy Mountains are a winter playground for ski-tourers.
The rivers that have carved their way through the ranges
offer opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and rafting,
while the narrowest gorges provide a venue for the exciting
sport of canyoning. Further west, New South Wales offers
entirely different landscapes including semiarid plains
and the red-sand deserts and dramatic rockscapes that characterize
classic outback country.
Northern
Territory: Renowned for its outback scenery,
Aboriginal culture, the great landmarks of Uluru and Kata
Tjuta, and the wetlands of Kakadu, the Northern Territory
is an enticing but daunting adventure-travel destination.
Services are often few and far between, with many towns
consisting of little more than a cluster of houses, a shop
and a pub, and extreme weather can turn even a short outing
into an ordeal. It is for these reasons that some of the
Territory’s parks impose strict regulations on visitors.
At Uluru-Kata Tjuta, for example, walking is not permitted
away from approved tracks and camping is not allowed anywhere
with-in the park. Other national parks have less rigid rules
but do request that visitors make their plans known to rangers.
Despite these restrictions, however, well-prepared travelers
can take advantage of a wide range of adventure activities
and almost unlimited potential for wilderness exploration.
Queensland:
Queenslanders market their homeland as ‘Beautiful
one day, perfect the next’, and this slogan could
apply equally to the state’s adventure activities.
The almost unlimited scope for outdoor pursuits is mainly
a result of Queensland’s remarkable range of landforms
and environments, many of which have been recognized by
UNESCO World Heritage listing. The most notable of these
are the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient rainforests that
extend from Cape York all the way to the New South Wales
border. Others include spectacular remnants of volcanic
landscapes such as the Undara lava tubes and Glasshouse
Mountains, the deserts and plains of the interior, the savanna
and swamps of the Gulf Country, the famous fossil fields
of Riversleigh and remote oases such as Lawn Hill National
Park. Adventurers heading to the Sunshine State should keep
in mind the region’s seasonal weather patterns when
planning their itineraries. In particular, the Wet Season
that affects the far north can upset many well-laid plans,
turning relaxed river trips, for example, into life-threatening
undertakings. Tropical cyclones are another threat, with
associated sea surges swamping boats along the coast, winds
toppling trees and heavy rain swelling rivers. Even Queensland’s
renowned high levels of sunshine are not without their dangers
and all travelers should make sure they have adequate sun
protection and sufficient water.
South
Australia: South Australia is the country’s
driest state, which means that outdoor activities require
careful planning. Not only is drinking water hard to come
by, but also dense forests and woodlands that might provide
shade and shelter from winds are scarce. In summer, temperatures
soar, particularly in the north of the state, so travelers
should save ore arduous undertakings for the winter months.
South Australia’s major landforms include the series
of rugged mountain ranges that runs north from Adelaide
culminating in the Flinders and Gammon ranges; these provide
plenty of challenges for walkers, cyclists and climbers.
In the south-east, the vast lagoons of the Coorong and the
404 miles of the Murray River that wend from the border
with New South Wales and Victoria to the sea are favoured
by canoeists and kayakers. Caving is also popular in South
Australia, perhaps because the state has the best cave diving
and some of the best dry caving in the country.
Tasmania:
Despite its often bleak and forbidding weather,
Tasmania is a Mecca for adventures. Its mountainous terrain
gives rise to an abundance of wild rivers to raft, sheer
cliffs to climb, caves to explore and extensive pathways
to walk, while its many islands and sheltered bays, especially
on the east coast, make for great sea kayaking. Among the
state’s most renowned outings are the world-famous
whitewater-rafting trips along the Franklin River and the
extended hike along the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain-Lake
St Clair National Park. Throughout the island, clearly marked
and well-formed trails make some of Tasmania’s most
magnificent wilderness accessible to people with minimal
bushwalking skills, and a wide range of guiding and tourist
services means that even novice adventures can travel to
remote areas. At The same time, there is plenty of terrain
here that will test even the most experienced adventure
travelers.
Victoria:
Adventure sports are widely followed in Victoria, partly
because the state offers such varied terrain. As in New
South Wales, the Great Dividing Range is the main focus
for waking, climbing, rafting and winter sports such as
cross-country skiing and ski touring. However, several other
areas also have large tracts of wilderness, including the
Grampians, the Otways and the magnificent coastal national
parks of Wilsons Promontory and Croajingolong. And even
where native bush is absent, travelers can still find adventure:
for example, Australia’s top climbing area, Mount
Arapiles, rises dramatically out of flat wheat country near
Horsham in the state’s west.
Western
Australia: Adventure Travelers keen to experience
Western Australia’s wide range of activities must
be prepared to cover a good deal of ground. For although
the state has plenty of appropriate venues, including rivers,
mountains and caves, they tend to be separated by enormous
stretches of outback.. Traveling through the immense arid
lands of Western Australia can, however, be thought of as
an adventure in itself, one that makes your arrival in places
like the Kimberley or the Pilbara all the more exciting.
The Kimberley alone could supply a lifetime of thrills,
with its vast plateaus and myriad gorges offering endless
challenges for walkers, river runners, climbers and cavers
alike. Similar opportunities abound in the Pilbara. Self-sufficiency
and high-level bush skills are essential in these areas
and in other remote parts of Western Australia, where emergency
services may be a long way away. Only in the south-west
of the state will you find an impressive array of adventure-sports
locations within a relatively small, densely populated area.
The proximity of delightful beaches, wineries, historic
towns and other more general tourist attractions make this
an especially enjoyable region to explore. |
